Juve starts hit out

April 5, 2000
Juventus Official Site

Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi appeared at a press conference on Wednesday in order to quell - once and for all - the rumours of a rift between the two Juventus and Italy forwards. Sitting at a table crowded with microphones and television cameras, the two openly showed their discontent with what they have read concerning their relations on and off the pitch.

A few misplaced passes in the match against Venezia were turned into a veritable battle of wills between the two. To strengthen the impression, television pictures from the Juventus-Lazio match showing only one pass between the two players in the course of the match were also accounted rock-solid evidence. "Not enough for an attacking partnership" were the murmurs, which turned into front-page news.

"We have read all about the insults we've thrown at one another, and the dressing-room scraps. Now we've had enough!" With these words Del Piero broke the ice, while Inzaghi nodded his head in agreement at his side. There followed a duet:

Del Piero "I'm unhappy about being forced to make a statement about all this. To discuss Juve's problems up front is all very well, but not in this way. At first we were sorry to hear all these rumours on our account. Then we got angry. Criticism is fine, but with these accusations the line has been crossed."

Inzaghi "We didn't come here together for show; we want to make sure that these things are no longer said or written about us. From now on we'll keep a close eye on what is said about us. And we may even take further action."

Del Piero "Comments on attacking problems are one thing, but these other things are entirely different."

Inzaghi "Don't forget that we depend on one another and that we scored 59 goals together two years ago. It can happen that on the pitch you don't see your partner till it's too late, but you can't go from tactical errors to these personal comments."

Del Piero "This is what we wanted to say, the facts on the pitch will reveal the rest, starting with the match away to Bologna. I don't know why these comments have arisen; maybe because forwards are always more subject to criticism. We've never had a fight, and whoever claims we have, should put up or shut up."

Inzaghi "I already denied the rumours after the Venezia match. I just want those who give the news to tell the truth. We are not jealous of one another."
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